In an upcoming announcement, President Bola Tinubu is set to introduce a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers, as revealed by Comrade Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). This development follows a crucial meeting between the TUC and the federal government to discuss the removal of fuel subsidies.
During an appearance on ChannelsTV’s “Politics Today” program on Tuesday evening, September 19, 2023, Comrade Osifo shared insights into the discussions. He stated that Minister of Labour Simon Lalong confirmed conversations with President Tinubu and Minister of Finance Wale Edun regarding the wage issue.
According to Osifo, “The minister of labour told us that he had an audience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the minister of finance and had reviewed the issue of wage award. But the president asked them to fine-tune the issues before he makes the announcement.”
The TUC president emphasized that they had given the federal government a two-week ultimatum to address their demands or face the possibility of nationwide industrial action. Despite Minister Lalong’s request for additional time due to the president’s travel commitments, the TUC remained steadfast in their demand for a swift resolution.
Osifo revealed, “The minister told us all these issues would be streamlined, but because the president has traveled, we should give him an extra two weeks. We said no; we don’t have an extra two weeks to give. After more discussions, he said the president would make a proper announcement next week.”
In addition to the minimum wage, the TUC engaged with the federal government on the distribution of palliatives to states. Comrade Osifo stressed their commitment to monitoring the fair and effective allocation of these relief measures and scrutinizing the implementation template. Other issues discussed during the meetings included taxation and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
